Amber Batts

The war on drugs has turned into the war on sex. Prostitution was a part of Alaska before it became a state. Independent minded women came during the gold rush to acquire their share of riches.

Until recently, I had not experienced any adverse issues at the halfway house. I know a few other women that received write-ups for minor things, like talking to the men or getting off the bus at the wrong set. I heard from others about verbal warnings for the same things.

Now I wake up every morning in a jail cell. I make my instant coffee and get ready for work. I press on toward the day I can go home and be with my kids. I don’t know when that will be.

I was too young then to wear a wire, and the DA, a scary albino man, had me point to an ugly plain doll and tell him what happened.